High-temperature centrifugal apparatus.



W. B. WESCO'TT.. HlGH TEMPERATURE CENTRHUGAL APPARATUS.

APPLlCATION HLED MAR.19.1914.

SHEU SSHEEY M j WL W. B. WESCOTT.

HIGH TEMPERATURE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS. APPLmATloN FILED MAR. 19. |9x4.

1,1 96,829. PatclltvdSept. 5, 1916 Y 4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W. B. WESCOTT.

HIGH TEMPERATURE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED MAR.19.1914.

W. B.r WESCOTT. HIGH TEMPERATURE CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS. APPLICAUON mso um. 19. w14.

1,1 96,829. lzltelltvdept. 5, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Mw l// f f ew fr. me' @,@M

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM BURTON WESCOTT,

TION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO KALMUS, COMSTOCK 8c WESCOTT, INCORPORATED, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, A COBPOR- CENTRIFU'GAL APPARATUS.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application led March 19, 1914. Serial No. 825,798.

To all ywhom t may Concern' Be it known that l, WILLIAM BURTON lllnsroTT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and usef-ul Improvements in High Temperature Centrifugal Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for separating metals, mattes and speisses from their accompanying slags according to theI method hereinafter described, while both the products to be separated one from the other are in molten condition.

ln'the art of smelting metals, such as coppei: silver, lead, nickel, etc., from their ores, it is customary to deliver the fused products from the smelting furnace into a receptacle known as a settler. This settler consists of a tank lined with refractory material into which a stream of the molten material delivered from the furnace. The molten material consists of two or more separable substances, such metal, matte or speiss and slag. Uf these substances slae, which consists of silicates, is a waste product ot' the smelting process and is intended Yto be thrown away. 0n the other hand, thc metals, mattes or speisses constitute the valualfle product of the smelting process and are intended to. be recovered. In order to separate the valuable products from the valueless slag the usual practice is to deliver the mass containing theSe substances in a molten condition into the settler, allow them to remain in the slfttler in molten condition for a. length of time sutli'cient to permit them to separate by ravity.

The slag has a lower speci c gravity than the metal, matte or speiss, and under the condition described will'separate, more or less imperfectly from the. metal, matte or speiss, and will rise to the surface of the settler whence it can be poured off intermittently or continuously as desired. As the ditlerence is specific gravity between metal, matte or speiss and slag is small, and as the time durimir which the molten products can be retainer in the settler is limited on account of the loss of heat by radiation and thel consequent cooling and, thickening of 4method oi"A separating;r slag and tothe molten material, it follows that under the conditions of separation as heretofore practised the separation of the slag from the metal, matte or speiss is imperfect, slow and 5 unsatisfactory. The slag carries oil with it a certain amount of the metal, matte or speiss in the form of minute drops or molten particles, which, in the limited .time afforded for separation by gravity, havey not had an 6 opportunity to collect and lall thrmrgjh the molten slug to the bottom of the settler.

ll'ith the apparatus of the present invention a more efficient, economical and speedy from the metal, 6 matte or speiss. is attained. The method performed by the apparatus involves sub jet-ting.r the molti-n slag containing drops or particles ot molten metal, matte or speiss` to the socalled centrifugal force of rotation 7 while in superheated condition, thereby increasing the gravities acting on the particles and eifecting a more perfect and speedy separation than has'heretoliore been possible. 7

In carryinpr out this invention it is necessary that the mass consisting of slagr and the metal. matte or speiss,` mechanically intermingled in the slag in the `form of minute drops or particles. should be superheatekl, 8 that is, brought to a teml'ierature considerably hig'her than the tenmerature of the mass at its fusion point, for the reason that the mass at its fusion point is thick and viscous, but as its temperature is raised s above'the fusion point and thc material superheated, its lluidity rapidly increases.

The outlowing material from the ordinary smelting furnace is usually at the required superheated temperature, but if it 9 should be at too low a temperature upon issuing;r from the smelting furnace it may he superheated in a suitable ,n'uxiliaiwY apparatus, such as an electric furnace, to render it sutlicientlyv fluid for the subsequent treat-V 9 ment.

The essential condition is that the slag, whether treated .in the usual smeltiug furnace or in an auxiliary apparatusI he brought to such high temperature that ital will he substantially more fluid than al. ts fusion point, and thatzits fluidity shall lsist during the remaining steps of the proccss. The mass is then introduced in superhealed condition in a stream, either continuv ous or intermittent as desired, into a centriuge. and there subjected to the so-called centrifugal force of rotation for separating the valuable constituents from thevslag. The centrifuge is preferably open at both ends, and the superheated mingled mass is introduced at one end and the separated subA stance drawn off while in fluid condition at the other end, as hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawings which iliustrate one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a vertical, central section of a centrifugal separator apparatus suitable for performing the above described method; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lower part of said apparatus` viewed from the rear of Fig. l Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a rei-tical. central, section on an enlarge-d scale. of the upper part of the inlet pipe; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper part of the inlet pipe shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. h' is a section on line (3*6 of Fig. 4.

The centrifuge consists of a Crucible, the body of which is preferably cylindrical, having an outer retraining shell 1 of steel, which furnishes the tensile strength of the structure. the heat-insulating wall 2, constructed of chrome brick, silica brick, or other heatinsulating material, and the inner wall or lining constructed of hricl\'s inade of some highly refractory material capable of with standing the excessive temperatures of the super-heated mass to be treated, such as carbon. (amorphous or graphitic) inag'netite, magnesite. alunduiii. etc., chosen according to the particular slag to be treated.

The crucible has at its upper end a hollow neck it, of .smaller diameter than the body of the crncible, through which the inlet pipe extends, and at its bottom end another hollow neck :'i, which constitutes the outlet passage of the crucible. The insulating wall il and heat resisting lining 3 aie voiitinued dowiiivard to the end of neck 5. The interior diameter of the outlet neck is .i little greater than the interior diameter of the inlet neck 17, so that the overflow of the patents of the crucible when the latter is rwoliing, as hereinafter described, will taxe place through the outlet neck.

'liu centrifuge is susj'iended in a vertical .usnon by a collar fi. which is securely ind to the upper end of neck 4. The col- .,o' 3 is suppmted on a floating ring 7. which bis a convex spherical lexterior surface, resting in a corrcsjwinding concave spherical surface formed in the supporting cup 8. rl'he centrifuge revolves on ball bearings between the collar f' and the floating ring 7, .comprising thc bearing rings .l and l0, and a row ol' balls 1l. Thus, the centrifuge, -suspended from its top, is not onlyV revohible on the ball bearings but, with the floating ring is free toswing pemlnlum-lilt'e through siiiall angles in any direction about the vertical, from the center of the supporting cup.

A driving pulley 12 is fixed to the collai' 6, and is driven from any suitable source of power by a belt 13. Brake bands 14 operated in any well known manner cooperate with pulley 13 to check the rotation of the ceiitrifuge. The central plane of said pulley, and the axis o f rotation of said pulley, pass through the center of the spherical surface of the floating ring 7, and therefere the driving mechanism has no tendency to displace the axis of rotation from the vertical.

The outer shell of the lower neck 5 is slightly tapered, as shown in Fig. 1, excepting at the outlet end, where the inner surface adjacent to the lowermost course of bricks is cylindrical, and the bricks of the insulating and lining walls 2 and 3 will con Sequently be retained in place upon the principle of the arch, with the exception of the loweriiiost course of bricks. which is supported at thel end of the neck by a ring 15 bolted to the end of the outer shell. The greatest wear, caused by the material flow ing out of the crucible, comes at the outlet end of the lower neck, on the lowei'most course of bricks andthe ring 15,-hence pro vision by which the latter can readily be removed and replaced without disturbing the Crucible as a whole.

Surrounding the lower neck 5 is a ring lf3, in which are jou'riialed a series of guide rollers 17, which run on an annular track 18 formed dfi the outer surface of the neck 3. The guide ring 1li and rollers 17 are held in position by brackets 1f), each made with a, housing 20 containing coil springs .e and s, which coperate with the housing 2t) and a rod 2l, p'yvoted to the ring lf3 and sliding in the end of the housing, normally to urge the ring 16 and the suspended centrifuge toward its vertical position, while permitting l'rcedom of motion of the centrifuge through small angles.

The inlet pipe extends downward through the upper neck 4, and consists of the shell 22, an inner lining 23 of refractory material such as boron nitrid or ii'iagncsite. and a heat insulating wall 24 between the ontei- Shell and the inner lining. made ol' coudensed vaporized silicon carbid, or other suitable material. The outside ol' the pipe is kept at a constant and comparatirely low temperature by the water jacket 2V. surrounding the shell 22, the heat loss to which is slipplied by the resistance heater coil :45, of graphite or other suitable material einbedded in the lining Q3, and not from the superheated material flowing throughn Water is introduced into the water jacket through pipe 39 extending nearly to the botv lili) cuit.

tom of the water jacket, and is discharged from a point near the top of the water )ac ket through pipe 40 (Fig. `1), thus insuring a good Circulation. double helical coil, returning on itself, its ends being connectedto the two conductor plates 27 and 28, which are clamped l by means of bolts 29 in boxes 30 and 31, to 1nsure good lelectrical Contact between plates 2,7 and 28, and boxes 30 and 31, respectively. Binding screws 32 and 33 enter the' ends of said boxes thus Connecting the heater coil through Wires'34 and 35 with the heater Cir- The boxes 30 and 31 are insulated from the outer shell of the pipe by asbestos sheets 30a and 31, and may' be cooled by water circulated through passages 3o and pipes 36. The top of the inlet pipe 1s provided l with a funnel-like mouth Consistingof the outer shell 37 secured to the upper end of shells 22 and 26, and lined with refractory material 38 similar to the lining 23. The

delivery spout 41A of the inlet pipe, is madev with a curved passage 42, through its re- Iractory lining 43, as shown in Fig, 1, to -deliver the incoming stream of molten material toward the 'side of the Crucible. As

' this is theA part of the inlet pipe, which is fili subjectedfto the 'most wear by the stream flowing through it, the said delivery spout I, 41 is made removable from the rest of the ipe s o that when worn it may be replaced i y a uewgone. l

.. Below the outlet neck of the Crucible is a Circularreceivng vessel 44, lined with bricks, of "sui'table heat-resisting material, having its, side walls curvedI upwardly and.

inwardly, andsurrounding the discharge end of neck 5. It will be observed that the un'der surface of thejoverhanging part of the Curved .-side walls of. the vessel 44 is about opposite the outlet end of neck 5, and curves gradually downward so that the swiftly moving stream of molten material issuing from the neck 5 in a nearly horiital direction. by. reason of centrifugal in, strikes the overhanging top wall of 44 at an acute angle, thereby reducing the wear which'would rcfrom .the direct impact'of the stream snr/mld it moet the walls of the vessel 44 in a more nearly perpendiculardirection. The bottom of the receiving vessel 44 incline-s helically down. ard toward an .outlet port formed at the lowest point of the vessel. A spout 46 is provided on the outside of the vessel to carry away the outfiowing stream Fig. The vessel 44 is rotatable about a central shaft or stud 47 fixed to the floor, and is carried on rollers 48 .which run on an annuiar track 49.

ln operation, the strean'x of molten and superheated slag and metal, matte or speiss, is introduced from the reservoir'or furnace (not shown) into the funnel-shaped mouth The heater coil'25 is a shell, sa

gravity than the slag, gradually work their. `way to the outsideof the hollow cylinder of molten material, while the slag Comes to the interior. ,The slag thus separated, overflows through the outlet neck.5, into the receiver 44, whence it-passes through port 45, into any suitable receptacle.-

When it is desired to empty the centrifuge of the metal, matte or speiss`collected at theyoutside of the hollow cylinder, the receiving vessel 44 is rotated until the spout 46 directed toward the desired receptacle i for' holding the concentrated metal, matte orspeiss2 and then the speed of rotation of the Crucible is slowed down by means of the brake straps 14I on pulley 12, audits I contents discharged into thereceiver'44 and thence to the receptacle where it is collected. The supply ofmaterial through the inlet pipe may or may not be stopped, during the discharge of the Crucible, as desired. I claimz- I 1. An apparatus for 'separating metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying sla-gs while in` molten Condition, Comprising a cruciblemounted to rotate on a vertical axis and havin an outer retaining shell and a lining, f reractoryxmaterial within the lg rotary Crucible having an inlet openin'gat its top and an outlet opening at its bottom, Aand an inlet duct extending through said inlet opening and terminating near the top of the Crucible adapted to deliver material to be treated toward the top of the interior walls of the Crucible body.

2. An apparatus for separating metals, mattes 'or speisses fromtheir accompanying slags while in molten'condition', comprising a Crucible mounted to rotate on a verl tical axis and having an outer retaining shell and a lining" of refractory material within the shell,`said rotary Crucible having an inlet opening at its top and an outlet opening at its bottom, and an inlet `duct extending through said inleiopening and having a removable delivery spout at its lower en(I terminating near the top of the Crucible adapted to deliver material to be treated toward the top of the interior walls of the Crucible body. 4

3. An apparatus for separatingA metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying slags while in molten' condition, comprising a rotary Crucible having an outer retaining shell,v and a lining of refractory material, saidcrucible having inlet and ontlet openings, and an inlet pipe extending through said inlet opening and terminating ,near the top of the Crucible, adapted to deliver material to be treated toward the top of the interior walls of the crucible body, said inlet pipe being lined with electrically non-conducting refractory material, and a resistanceheater coil surrounding the inlet passage and embedded in said lining of nonconductingr refractory material.

4. An apparatus for Separating metals, mattcs or speisses from their accompanying slags while in molten condition, comprising a rotary Crucible havin an outer retaining shell, said Crucible havlng inlet and outlet openings, and an inlet pipe extending through said inlet opening, having an interiorly heat`insulated Cooling jacket.

An apparatus for separating metals, in attes or speisses from their accompanying slags while in molten condition, comprising a rotary Crucible having an outer retaining shell, said crucible having,r inlet and outlet openings, and an inlet pipe extending through said inletopening, having an external cooling jacket, and a resistance heater coil between the cooling jacket and the inlet `pipe passage. i

6. An apparatus for separating metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying slags while in molten condition, comprising a rotary crucible'having an outer" retaining l shell, said Crucible having inlet and 'outlet openings,` and an inlet pipe extendingr through said inlet openings comprising a tubular retainingr shell, an inner lining of refractory material, and a filling therebetween of heat-insulating material, and an external Cooling jacket surrounding said shell.

T. .\n 'apparatus for separating metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying slags while. in molten condition, comprising a rotary crucible having an outer retaining shell. `said Crucible having vinlet and outlet openings, and an inlet :pipe extending through said inlet openings comprising a tubular retaining shell, an -inncr lining of refractory material` and a tilling therebetween ot' heat-insulating material, an e.\'- tlrual cooling jacket surrounding said shell, and a resistance heater coil einbedded'in said inner lining. i

s. .\n apparatus for separating metals, maltcs or s|` eisses from their accompanying slugs, comprisiiig a rotary Crucible having a discharge opening, and a receiver lined with refractory material adapted to receive material centrifugally discharged from said discharge openinfn having overhanging walls at an acute angle to the direction of movement of Said material and horizontally opposite said discharge opening.

9. An apparatus for separating metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying .slugs comprising a rot-ary crucible having a discharge opening, and a receiver having walls which surround and are horizontally opposite said discharge opening, adapted to receive material centrifugally discharged from said discharge opening, the bottom surface of said receiver being helicallyiinclined downward in the direction 'of rotation of said centrifuge, and anoutlet passage leading from the lowest part of said bottom surface.

10. An vapparatus for separating metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying slags, comprising a rotary Crucible having a discharge opening at its lower end, and a rotatable receiving vessel below said discharge opening having side walls surrounding and extending to 'a point substantially horizontally opposite said discharge opening.

l1. An apparatus for separating metals, mattes or spcisses from their accompanying slags. comprising a rotary Crucible having a discharge opening at its lower end. and a receiving vessel below said discharge opening 'having side.l walls surrounding and ex tending to a point substantially horizontally opposite said discharge opening, said receiving vessel having an outlet portand being rotatable so as to direct the discharge of its contents through the outlet port `in various directions. i

12. An apparatus for separating metals,`

mattes or speisses from theirxaccompanying slags, comprising a rotary Crucible having a neck at its upper end with an inlet pas-A sage therethrough, an inlet pipe extending downward through said Crucible neck, and a floating support comprising a concave spherical supporting member and a convex spherical floating member resting in said concave member, a bearing between the crucible neck and said convex floating member, both of said members and also said bearing member surrounding said Crucible neck 'and thc inlet passage and inlet pipe.

13. An apparat-us for separating metals, mattes or speisses from their accompanying slags. comprising a rotary Crucible having a neck atits upper end with an inletfpassage therethrough, an inlet pipe extending downward through said Crucible neck, and a flmiting support comprising a concave spherical supporting member and a convex spherical floating member resting in said concave member, a bearing between the crucible neck and said convex floating member, both of said members and also said bearing member surrounding said crucible neck and the inlet passage and inlet pipe` said inlet pipe having an external cooling jacket to Signed b v me at Boston, Massachusetts, protect the surounding oating support this 14th day of March, 1914.

and bearing from heat, and also having an WILLIAM BURTON 'WESCOT'I internal heater coil to restore to the mate- Witnesses: 5 rial in said pipe the heat 10st through said ROBERT CUSHMAN,

plpe. G. WRIGHT ARNOLD. 

